Nelson: Dones' attitude unhelpful

Related Media

Courtney Dones' disparaging remarks about members of our community are disgusting, ugly and intolerable. To suggest that 768 children of "immigrant workers" idly sit being "babysat" until they can consume their free lunch is both untrue and insulting to the human spirit. Forty percent of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or the children of immigrants and, be assured, they did not get there without the help of a public education and an excellent secondary education. Perhaps one of the reasons they are so successful is because they recognize opportunity and they place a value on things such as an education. The hard work and determination displayed by many immigrants, including our ancestors, is a legendary component of the American ideal. To focus on immigrant laborers as "subsidized" is a fallacy as they also pay property and sales taxes the same as you and I. If they don't own their home (immigrants can, you know) I am certain their rent includes a portion due the county. Their paychecks have portions deducted (and matched by their employers) which contribute to basic services and their purchasing of consumer items and services provide a measure of benefit to our economy. To argue that immigrant workers take without sharing in the costs is flat-out wrong. Your assertions, all clearly stated in your letter, that we should withhold charity from those not "our own," that "revolving ELL students" are somehow inferior students not bound for success and that we should even deny immigrants rental housing, reek of racism and bigotry. The difficulties in educating children are always large and the problems caused by illegal immigration are vexing but will undoubtedly be handled in a grand American way. In our community we will solve them without the unhelpful attitudes such as yours.